Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie

Sometimes, the fact that something sounds crazy is enough of an incentive to give it a try.

A Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie was a hard sell, but this is how it was positioned to me: First of all, there isn’t actually any jelly in it. Secondly, I’m a longtime fan of the Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie, and this is basically that with some berries blended in. And finally, considering the vast expansion of smoothie combinations that we’ve come to know and love over the past few years, PB&J isn’t much of a stretch.

Nevertheless … as I blended together frozen blueberries, strawberries, a frozen banana and 1/2 of a cup of apple juice, and got a purplish-red frozen treat still solid enough to eat with a spoon, it was painful to bring myself to monkey with perfection and by blending in a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter. But I did. Low and behold the result was even better than I had hoped — tasted just like peanut butter and jelly, but it worked. It was more substantial and protein-packed than a fruit smoothie, and still very refreshing. Next time, I might throw in a tablespoon of ground flax.